This is a sample conversation to give you an idea as to what phrases you'll need to learn in order to have a conversation in an Italian Post Office. I have attempted to make this conversation as natural as possible:
Impiegato Postale /Postal Clerk: Buongiorno, posso aiutarla? = Good morning, may I help you?
Cliente/Customer: Si, vorrei dei francobolli, per favore = Yes, I would like some stamps, please.
I: Quanti ne ha bisogno? = How many do you need?
C: 20 = venti
I: Sono E.30,45 = That will be E.30,45
Second Customer: Scusi c'ero prima io = I'm sorry, it was my turn
C: No, lei si sbaglia, c'ero prima io = No, you are wrong, it was my turn
Nowadays the wide variety of banking services forces us to learn useful vocabulary about banking operations and savings accounts, such as how to take out a loan and how to ask about the terms and conditions of the financial services offered.
There are many definitions of a bank. However, the banks are financial institutions whose basic purpose is to receive deposits and grant loans. More precisely, banks hold clients' money for safe-keeping in the form of deposits on which they pay a certain amount of interest.
This is a over-simplified explanation of what a bank does, but the most important thing when you arrive in Italy is what and how to ask for money for your needs here.
Viaggiare in Treno in Italia - Railway Travel in Italy
In Italy the train is a very common means of trasportation, and one of the most convenient ways to get around the country. I can't think of a better way to see Italy's great cities as trains link just about every city center.
There are different types of trains by cost and speed, namely the Regionale, Intercity and Eurostar.
The first is a local train and it is cheap and usually safe. This kind of train connects the smaller towns with the big cities. Intercity covers long distances and it's fast and usually less populated, while the Eurostar is more comfortable, expensive and always requires a reservation.
Shopping in Italy can be quite a pleasant activity no matter what you are seeking, even in the cities. Often, simply strolling the streets will yield surprising outdoor markets and specialty stores, as well as larger grocery stores, or supermarkets. In these stores you can use coupons and buy larger quantities, but the local markets are more colorful and full of human interaction.
Below is a series of short conversations between a shopper and various workers, managers and owners of stores. Have fun reading, and next time you are in a store in Rome, try some of these useful phrases:
Complaining in Italian / Lamentarsi o Esprimere Disappunto in Italiano
Italians are an expressive people. To them love, happiness and even anger is meant to be shared. If you have a complaint while in Italy--whether you are returning something to a store or are unsatisfied with your meal--and want to voice it here are some dialogues that should make the process easier for you:
For many shopping is an integral part of a vacation and there aren't many places where you'll find better shopping than in Italy. Whether you're looking for clothing or souvenirs, shopping in Italy requires a certain set of phrases, learn these and your shopping trips will be a breeze! Here are some parts of a common conversation that occurs in a dress shop to help:
come salutare in modo adeguato, corretto = appropriate greetings
One great way to see Italy is by car. Not only will you be able to visit a multitude of spots, but you'll also have control over when and where you stop. Adding freedom and the open road to your Italy trip means a virtually perfect vacation.
Durante la vostra permanenza in Italia, se vi ammalate potreste aver bisogno di andare in farmacia e chiedere delle medicine. In ogni caso siccome il farmacista è il principale professionista della salute ti aiuterà a trovare la medicina adatta al tuo disturbo.
Per questo motivo, è utile imparare alcune parole o frasi utili. Forse potresti essere allergico ad alcune di esse, così è molto importante specificare le tue allergie.
Sotto un comune dialogo tra un cliente ed il farmacista.
During your stay in Italy, if you get sick you may need to go to the pharmacy to get medication.
In any case as the pharmacist is the primary health professional, he/she will find the right medicine for you.
If you are planning to come to Italy for business or on vacation, you may be interested in learning some key phrases in Italian so that you can not only book your trip but also reservations for everything from a hotel to a restaurant. Keep practising these phrases until you feel comfortable with them, the more you practise the easier it will become!
While many Italians--especially the younger generation and those that work in tourist-centric areas--do speak English it is always polite to attempt conversation with someone in their native tongue when visiting their country. Moreover imagine the sense of accomplishment you'll feel if you're able to book a hotel or a theater ticket in Italian!
If you are planning to come to Italy for business or on a vacation you may be interested in learning some key Italian phrases that will make booking a restaurant, trip, or theater ticket easy. In this case you will need to ask for what you are looking for. Just keep practicing the words and phrases below until you are comfortable and they roll off your tongue easily. Repeat them aloud, over and over, until you'll speak them correctly and naturally. While this may seem difficult it's really not--practice makes perfect!
Describing an object or an animal in Italian is relatively easy, but things get a bit more complicated when you're looking to describe a person. When talking about a person it's not just appearance you have to worry about, but describing other factors like character, temperament, behavior and so on.
Describing Character
Use adjectives and idiomatic expression to describe a person's character.
Che bel caratterino che hai! = What a temper!
Egli è di carattere aggressivo = He is aggressive by nature.
Mario è un ragazzo ragionevole, serio ed affidabile = Mario is a sensible boy, serious and reliable.
Anywhere you are in the world you want to be able to express yourself. If you are happy or sad, satisfied or scared, you want to be able to let others know. Sometimes in your mother tongue it's difficult to find the words to say what you really mean and it's made even more difficult when you try to do the same in a language you are just learning. Italians, however, are all about expressing what they are thinking and feeling--in a big way--and so there are many handy expressions you can learn to get your point across accurately and clearly.
SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
Come stai = How are you?
Ti voglio bene, ti amo = I care for you, I love you
